Fold-away bed unit

ABSTRACT

A fold-away bed unit having an enclosure (e.g., a cabinet) with an open side and a folding bed fixture adapted to be folded up together with a mattress thereon and housed within the enclosure, and to be unfolded therefrom through the open side for use as a bed. The fixture has a plurality of sections pivotally connected together end-to-end with its inner or head section pivotally carried by the enclosure for swinging about a horizontal axis into the enclosure, and with its outer and intermediate sections each being foldable up from its unfolded position to a fold-away position at right angles to its preceding section for forming in conjunction with the head section a folded structure of generally rectangular outline (as viewed from the side). This folded structure along with the head section is swingable about said horizontal axis for storage in the enclosure. The outer and intermediate sections have legs, and provision is made for locking the sections in their fold-away position utilizing the legs.

Unite States Patent 191 Eakins Dec. 10, 1974 FOLD-AWAY BED UNIT [75] Inventor: Paul W. Eakins, St. Louis, Mo.

[73] Assignee: The Foster Brothers Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo.

[22] Filed: Apr. 28, 1972 [21] Appl, No.: 248,533

[56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1,142,053 6/1915 Phenix 5/35 1,197,359 9/1916 Evans 5/35 1,408,015 2/1922 Luppino 5/111 1,757,068 5/1930 Wikman et a1. 5/155 1,990,959 2/1935 Saperstein 5/160 3,108,291 10/1963 Eason 5/111 3,295,149 I l/l967 Hall 5/111 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 995,290 8/1951 France 5/155 Primary ExaminerRoy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Darrell Marquette Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Keenig, Senniger, Powers and Leavitt [5 7] ABSTRACT A fold-away bed unit having an enclosure (e.g., a cabinet) with an open side and a folding bed fixture adapted to be folded up together with a mattress thereon and housed within the enclosure, and to be unfolded therefrom through the open side for use as'a bed. The fixture has a plurality of sections pivotally connected together end-to-end with its inner or head section pivotally carried by the enclosure for swinging about a horizontal axis into the enclosure, and with its outer and intermediate sections each beingjfoldable up from its unfolded position to a fold-away position at right angles to its preceding section for forming in conjunction with the head section a folded structure of generally rectangular outline (as viewed from the side). This folded structure along with the head section is swingable about said horizontal axis for storage in the enclosure. The outer and intermediate sections have legs, and provision is made for locking the sections in their fold-away-position utilizing the legs.

7 3' Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDnmmm $852,837

saw u or 4 FIG? FOLD-AWAY BED UNIT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a fold-away bed unit, and especially to such a unit having an enclosure, such as a cabinet, and a folding bed fixture adapted to be folded up together with a mattress thereon and housed in the enclosure, and to be unfolded therefrom for use as a bed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of a fold-away bed unit having a folding bed fixture adapted to be folded up with a mattress thereon and housed in an enclosure; the provision of such a fold-away bed unit in which the folding bed fixture may be readily unfolded from the enclosure for use as a bed; the provision of such a fold-away bed unit in which the various sections of the folding bed fixture are adapted to be locked relative to one another when in their folded position to prevent the folded-up mattress from opening the fixture; and the provision of such a fold-away bed unit which is easy to fold and unfold and is of economical construction.

In general, a fold-away bed unit of this invention comprises an enclosure having an open side, and a folding bed fixture adapted to be folded up together with a mattress thereon and housed in the enclosure, and unfolded and extended therefrom through the open side of the enclosure for use as a bed. The fixture includes a plurality of sections pivotally connected together end-to-end, with one section constituting a head section at one end of the fixture, another section constituting a foot section-at the other end of the fixture, and at least one intermediate section. These sections are adapted to occupy an unfolded extended position wherein they are generally coplanar, and to be folded by successive folding up of the sections from the foot section to the intermediate section next to the head section to a fold-away position wherein each successive section extends generally at right angles to the preced- 1 ing section and forming in conjunction with the head section a folded structure of rectangular outline in cross-section in a vertical planeperpendicular to the pivotal axes of the sections, with the head section constituting one side of the rectangular outline. Means are provided at the sides of the enclosure pivotally mounting the head section for swinging movement on a horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to the fixture and enclosure at a normal bed elevation above floor level, whereby the folded structure may be swung about the horizontal axis into the enclosure. Leg means is provided for supporting the sections in horizontal coplanar position at the bed elevation above floor level when the sections are extended.

Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the fixture with its foot section and a third intermediate section thereof in their respective folded positions;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the fixture with its foot section and its third and second intermediate sections in their respective folded positions;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the fixture with its foot section and its three intermediate sections in their respective folded positions forming in conjunction with its head section a generally rectangular structure; I

FIG. 7 is a side elevation, with the enclosure partly broken away, showing the fixture in its folded, stored position within the enclosure;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged elevation of the outer end portion of the fixture illustrating the foot section in its folded position with its leg means partially folded and in an intermediate position;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the leg means of the foot section fully folded and in its retracted position; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view on line 10-10 of FIG. 7.

. Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, a fold-away bed unit of this invention, indicated in its entirety at 1, is shown to include an enclosure v(e.g., a cabinet) generally indicated at 3 having an open front side 5, and a folding bed fixture 7 adapted to be folded up with a mattress M (shown in phantom in FIGS. 2-7) thereon and housed in a folded, stored position in the cabinet (see FIG. 7) and unfolded and extended therefrom through.

the open side of the cabinet for use as a bed (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The bed fixture 7 has a plurality of sections pivotally connected together end-to-end for pivoting about horizontal axes including an inner or head section 9 at one end of the fixture, a first intermediate section 11, a second intermediate section 13, a third intermediate section 15, and a foot section '17 at the other or outer end of the fixture. Each section comprises a pair of side bars at the sides of the fixture, each of these bars being an angle-section bar arranged with one of its legs extending vertically and its other leg extending inwardly from what amounts to the upper edge of the vertical leg. The side bars of the respective sections 9, ll, l3, l5 and 17 are indicated at 19, 21, 23, 25 and 27, respectively. A bedspring 29 for supporting mattress M spans the side bars of the five sections. This bedspring, as is conventional, consists of a wire mesh attached at its sides to the horizontal legs of the angle-shaped side bars by coil tension springs as indicated at 31. The head section 9 has a crossbar 33 at its rearward or inner end. Foot section 17 is aU-shaped angle-iron member with its parallel sides constituting the side bars 27 and with its transverse member extending between the forward or outer ends of the side bars andconstituting a crossbar 35. Bedspring 21 is attached at its ends to the crossbars 33 and 35 by coil springs 36.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the five sections 9, l l, 13, 15 and 17 are adapted to occupy an unfolded extended position in which they are generally coplanar, and to be folded into cabinet 3 by first successively folding up the folded structure generally indicated at 37 of rectangu-' lar outline in cross-section in a vertical plane perpendicular to the pivotal axes of the sections, with the head section constituting one side of the rectangular outline. This rectangular folded structure is then rotated as a unit through open side 5 of the cabinet in a manner as will appear for housing the fixture in the cabinet. The length of the second intermediate section 13 generally corresponds to the length of the head section 9, the length of the thirdintermediate section 15 is less than the length of the first intermediate section 11, and the length of the foot section 17 is less than the length of second intermediate section 13 thereby to permit the folding bed fixture 7 to be folded into its fold-away position with mattress M folded on itself within rectangular structure 37.

Thecabinet 3 includes a base 39, side walls 41 and 43, a back wall 45, and a top 47 defining a compartment in which the rectangular structure 37 may be housed. As previously stated, the cabinet is open at the front to permit fixture 7 to be folded into the cabinet; it will be understood, however, that a door or doors may be provided for closing its open side 5 when the bed fixture is housed within the'cabinet. Base 39 carries a pair ofL-shaped supports, one at each side of bed fixture 7, each generally designated 49. Each of these supports comprises a horizontal leg 49a secured to base 39 and a vertical leg 49b extending vertically from the forward end thereof. Each side bar 19 of head section 9 is pivoted intermediate its ends as indicated at 51- on the upper end of a respective vertical leg 49b at a suitable bed elevation above the floor (e.g., about inches) for swinging movement on'a horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to the bed fixture and the cabinet so that the headsection along with the folded structure 37 may be swung about the stated horizontal axis into the cabinet.

As shown in FIG. 1, leg means generally indicated at 53 is provided for each section 9, 11, 13, and 17 for supporting the sections in horizontal coplanar position at bed elevation above the floor when the fixture is extended for use as a bed. Each leg means 53 is shown to be aU-shaped member formed, for example, of angleiron stock, with the opposite, spaced-apart sides of the U-shaped member constituting a pair of legs, each leg being indicated at 55 and being pivotally connected at its upper end, as'indicated at 56, to a side bar of its respective section, and with the transverse bar 57 of the U-shaped member, which interconnects the legs, constituting a floor-engaging member.

At each side of the fixture, the legs 55 of the leg means53 of the foot section 17 and the intermediate sections 15, 13 and 11 are each connected to the respective preceding sections by means of a link 59 for swinging movement of each leg means between an extended floor-engaging position in which it is generally perpendicular to its respective section when the section is in its extended coplanar position and an intermediate position (see FIG. 8) in which the leg means extends downwardly at an acute angle relative to its respective section when the section is in its folded position. Each leg means is further swingable from its intermediate position (FIG. 8) to a retracted position (see FIG. 9) generally in the plane of the side bars of its respective section and overcentered with respect to its respective link 59 (in a manner as will appear) for locking its respective section in its folded position relative to the preceding section. Thus, the pivoted leg means 53 for the foot section and each intermediate section in conjunction with its respective links 59 constitutes means for locking the foot section and the intermediate sections in their folded positions relative to their respective preceding sections.

The side bars offoot section 17 and each of the intermediate sections 15, 13 and 11 are pivotally connected to the ends of the side bars of the respective preceding section as respectively indicated at 61, 63, 65 and 67. As indicated at 69, the forward end of each link 59 is pivotally connected to the leg 55 of its respective leg means 53 intermediate the upper and lower ends of the leg. The rearward end of the links for the leg means of the foot section 17 and the intermediate sections 15, 13 and 11 are pin-connected to the outer ends (that is, the end of each section toward the foot section when the fixture is in its extended coplanar position) of the side bars of the respective preceding section, as indicated at 71. Thus, as foot section 17 is folded up about pivot 61 from its extended coplanar position to its folded position (see FIG. 8), links 59 for the foot section leg means pivot about their pin connections at 71 and rotate the foot section leg means about its pivot 56 to swing the leg means from its extended floor-engaging position of FIG. 2 to its intermediate position of FIG. 8. The leg means is movable from its intermediate position to its retracted position (see FIG. 9) by pushing the leg means inwardly toward the side bars 27. As the foot section leg means moves from its intermediate position to its retracted position, each pivot 69 connecting-the forward end of each of its links 59 thereto moves overcenter relative to the straight line extending between its respective pivots 56 and 71 thereby locking the foot section in its folded position relative to its preceding section (i.e., the third intermediate section 15). The leg means of the three intermediate sections are foldable and lockable in a similar manner as these sections are successively folded up relative to their respective preceding sections.

The upper ends of legs 55 of the head section leg means 53 are pivotally carried by the side bars 19, as previously indicated at 56, intermediate the ends of side bars 19. The forward end of the link 59 for each head section leg is pivotally connected to its respective leg means as indicated at 75, and its rearward end is pivotally connected as indicated at 77 to a bracket 79 carried by the vertical leg 49b of support 49 (see FIG. 10). Pivot pins 51 and 77 are at substantially the same elevation (i.e., at bed elevation) with pivot pin 77 spaced forward of pivot pin 51. Each bracket 79 is secured as by riveting, indicated at 81, to the outer face of vertical leg 49b of the respective support 49 and is spaced somewhat forward of pivot 51. Thus, as the head section is swung about pivot 51 from its horizontal position to its generally vertical stored position within the cabinet, the head section leg means 53 is swung from its extended floor-engaging position to its intermediate position. The head section legmeans is then further movable fromits intermediate position to its retracted position in which each of its pivots moves overcenter relative to the straight line extending between its respective pivots 56 and 77 thereby locking the head section in its stored position relative to support 49 and cabinet 3. Bracket 79 has an upper horizontal edge 83 extending inwardly beyond support leg 4%. This edge is spaced below pivot pin 51 a distance corresponding to the distance between the lower edge of the side bar 19 and pivot pin 51, whereby edge 83 is engageable by the side bar and constitutes a stop for the head section as the latter is swung from its vertical stored position to its horizontal coplanar position.

To unfold fixture 7 from its stored position in the cabinet to its unfolded extended (or coplanar) position for use as a bed, leg means 53 for the head section 9 is swung out from its retracted position to an intermediate position to unlock the head section relative to the supports 49. The head section and the other sections carried thereby are then swung about pivots 51 from their stored position within the cabinet (FIG. 7) to the position shown in FIG. 6. The first, second and third intermediate sections and the foot section are then successively unfolded relative to their preceding sections by moving their respective leg means from their retracted positions to intermediate positions and then unfolding the sections. As each section is unfolded, the respective links 59 interconnecting its leg means and the preceding section move its leg means to its floorengaging position. g

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings. shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is: r

l. A fold-away bed unit comprising an enclosure having an open side, and a folding bed fixture adapted to be folded up with a mattress thereon housed in said enclosure and unfolded and extended outwardly therefrom through the said open side of the enclosure for use as a bed, said fixture comprising a plurality of sections pivotally connected together end-to-end, with one section constituting a head section at one end of the fixture, another section constituting a foot section at the other end of the fixture, and first, second and third intermediate sections between the head section and the foot section, with the length of the second intermediate section corresponding generally to the length of the head section, the length of the third intermediate section being less than the length of the first intermediate section and the length of the foot section being less .than the length of the second intermediate section, said sections being adapted to occupy an unfolded extended position wherein they are generally coplanar and extend out from said enclosure, and adapted to be folded by successive folding up of the foot and intermediate sections to a fold-away position forming in conjunction with the head section a folded structure of rectangular outline in cross-section in a vertical'plane perpendicular to the pivotal axes of the sections, with the first intermediate section extending up from the outer end of the head section, the second intermediate section extending rearward from the upper end of the first, the third intermediate section extending down from the inner end of the second, and the foot section extending out from the lower end of the third intermediate section, and with the mattress being thereby folded along four fold lines to have a portion between the head and foot sections, a portion extending up on the inside of the first intermediate section, a portion extending rearward on the inside of the second intermediate section, a portion extending down along the third intermediate section, and a portion extending forward on the foot section, means at the sides of the enclosure pivotally mounting the head section for swinging movement on a horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to the fixture and enclosure at a suitable bed elevation above floor level, whereby said folded structure may be swung as a unit about said horizontal axis into the enclosure to a position wherein the head section extends generally vertically adjacent the front of the enclosure,

'the first intermediate section extends rearward from the upper end of the head section, the second intermediate section extends down adjacent the rear of the enclosure, the third intermediate section extends forward from the lower end of the second intermediate section adjacent the bottom of the enclosure, and the foot section extends up from the forward end of the third intermediate section, and leg means for supporting said sections in horizontal coplanar position at said bed elevation above floor level when the sections are extended, said bed unit having means interconnecting the foot section to the third intennediate section, the third intermediate section to the second intermediate section, the second intermediate section to the first intermediate section, and the first intermediate section to the head section for locking each of these sections in its fold-away position in response to its being folded up to its fold-away position.

2. A fold-away bed unit as set forth in claim 1 having means interconnecting the head section and the enclosure for locking the head section in its said vertically extending position in response to swinging of the head section to its said vertically extending position.

3. A fold-away bed section as set forth in claim 2 wherein said head section, each intermediate section and the foot section have leg means constituted by a pair of legs pivoted at their ends at opposite sides of the section, with the legs of the foot section and each intermediate section being connected to the preceding section by means of links pivotally connected to the preceding section and to the leg intermediate the ends of the leg for swinging of the legs of the foot section, the

' intermediate sections and the head section from an ex- 

1. A fold-away bed unit comprising an enclosure having an open side, and a folding bed fixture adapted to be folded up with a mattress thereon housed in said enclosure and unfolded and extended outwardly therefrom through the said open side of the enclosure for use as a bed, said fixture comprising a plurality of sections pivotally connected together end-to-end, with one section constituting a head section at one end of the fixture, another section constituting a foot section at the other end of the fixture, and first, second and third intermediate sections between the head section and the foot section, with the length of the second intermediate section corresponding generally to the length of the head section, the length of the third intermediate section being less than the length of the first intermediate section and the length of the foot section being less than the length of the second intermediate section, said sections being adapted to occupy an unfolded extended position wherein they are generally coplanar and extend out from said enclosure, and adapted to be folded by successive folding up of the foot and intermediate sections to a fold-away position forming in conjunction with the head section a folded structure of rectangular outline in cross-section in a vertical plane perpendicular to the pivotal axes of the sections, with the first intermediate section extending up from the outer end of the head section, the second intermediate section extending rearward from the upper end of the first, the third intermediate section extending down from the inner end of the second, and the foot section extending out from the lower end of the third intermediate section, and with the mattress being thereby folded along four fold lines to have a portion between the head and foot sections, a portion extending up on the inside of the first intermediate section, a portion extending rearward on the inside of the second intermediate section, a portion extending down along the third intermediate section, and a portion extending forward on the foot section, means at the sides of the enclosure pivotally mounting the head section for swinging movement on a horizontal axis extending transversely with respect to the fixture and enclosure at a suitable bed elevation above floor level, whereby said folded structure may be swung as a unit about said horizontal axis into the enclosure to a position wherein the head section extends generally vertically adjacent the front of the enclosure, the first intermediate section extends rearward from the upper end of the head section, tHe second intermediate section extends down adjacent the rear of the enclosure, the third intermediate section extends forward from the lower end of the second intermediate section adjacent the bottom of the enclosure, and the foot section extends up from the forward end of the third intermediate section, and leg means for supporting said sections in horizontal coplanar position at said bed elevation above floor level when the sections are extended, said bed unit having means interconnecting the foot section to the third intermediate section, the third intermediate section to the second intermediate section, the second intermediate section to the first intermediate section, and the first intermediate section to the head section for locking each of these sections in its fold-away position in response to its being folded up to its fold-away position.
 2. A fold-away bed unit as set forth in claim 1 having means interconnecting the head section and the enclosure for locking the head section in its said vertically extending position in response to swinging of the head section to its said vertically extending position.
 3. A fold-away bed section as set forth in claim 2 wherein said head section, each intermediate section and the foot section have leg means constituted by a pair of legs pivoted at their ends at opposite sides of the section, with the legs of the foot section and each intermediate section being connected to the preceding section by means of links pivotally connected to the preceding section and to the leg intermediate the ends of the leg for swinging of the legs of the foot section, the intermediate sections and the head section from an extended floor-engaging position generally perpendicular to the respective section when the sections are extended to an intermediate position extending downwardly at an acute angle relative to the respective section when the sections are folded up, each pair of legs being further swingable from its said intermediate position to a retracted overcentered position generally in the plane of the respective section for locking the respective section in its fold-away position relative to the preceding section. 